Picture image recording device

ABSTRACT

A picture image recording device using a recording medium which permits setting a plurality of recording tracks separately from each other for recording picture image signals on each of them. In the improvement made by this invention, the operating mode of the device is shiftable at least between two modes including a first mode in which image recording is performed only on one recording track and a second mode in which image recording is performed continuously or sequencially on a plurality of recording tracks.

This is a continuation application of Ser. No. 07/630,375, filed Dec.18, 1990, now abandoned; which in turn is a continuation application ofSer. No. 07/512,531, filed Apr. 18, 1990, now abandoned; which in turnis a continuation Ser. No. 07/187,219, filed Apr. 28, 1988, nowabandoned; and which in turn is a continuation application of Ser. No.06/731,157, filed May 6, 1985, which is now U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,707,issued Nov. 8, 1988; which in turn is a continuation application of Ser.No. 06/331,795, filed Dec. 17, 1981, now abandoned; and which in turn isa continuation application of Ser. No. 06/030,930, filed Apr. 17, 1979,now abondoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention:

This invention relates to a picture image recording device and moreparticularly to a device using a recording medium which permits settinga plurality of recording tracks separately from each other for recordingpicture image signals on each of them.

2. Description of the Prior Art:

Picture image recording devices of the type using a recording mediumwhich permits setting a plurality of recording tracks separately fromeach other for recording signals of still picture images on each of theset tracks have already been proposed.

Since the recording device of this type is designed for recording stillpicture images, the basic function thereof is arranged, for example, toperform recording of one picture image each time a camera is triggered.Considering applications of the device of this type, if it is onlypossible to record more than just one picture image by each triggeroperation, the function of the device is not always satisfactory and isthus applicable only to a limited range of purposes.

If the device of this type is arranged to be capable of continuouslyrecording images on recording tracks as long as the camera trigger ispersistently effected, it would be convenient for recording the imagesof a moving object such as recording for motion analysis or somethinglike a so-called time-lapse filming. Such arrangement can be veryadvantageously usable, for example, for analyzing a golf swing, batting,a pitching motion and the like and, accordingly would find a wider rangeof applications by virtue of functional improvement.

On the other hand, the most advantageous point of the picture imagerecording device of this type lies in that, unlike a photographic camerathat uses a silver salt film, it permits, for example: Even whenrecording has been made only halfway on the recording medium, the recordcan be taken out and put on a suitable reproducing device forappreciation of just the recorded part as desired; and, afterappreciation, the recording medium can be returned to the recordingdevice and then other picture images can be recorded on the rest of therecording medium. Or, with the fully recorded medium put on thereproducing device, some of the recorded tracks may be erased by meansof an eraser and then other picture images may be recorded asreplacement on the erased tracks.

For such usage, it is very important to provide some facility thatpermits accurate discernment of a recorded track and a track notrecorded from each other. Without such discernment, if another pictureimage is recorded on the recorded track, two picture image signals wouldbe mixed and a reproduced picture image would be hardly acceptablebecause, in the device of this type, it is extremely difficult toprecisely align the heads of two picture image signals forsynchronization and synchronism tends to be lost.

It is, therefore, highly advantageous for a device of this type to beprovided with arrangement to accurately discern a recorded track from atrack not recorded and to give a warning when a recording track on whichrecording is going to be performed has been already recorded; or toautomatically prohibit double recording on a recorded track; or, withfurther advanced arrangement, to shift a track of a recording head toanother track, when the track to be used for recording has been alreadyrecorded, either by mechanically shifting the head or by electricallyshifting the head through change-over between head channels. Sucharrangement would automatically ensure that recording can be alwaysperformed on a recording track which has not been recorded.

Further, a device of this type is required to have a facility forindicating the number of recorded tracks. If such indication is arrangedto be made by directly detecting up to which of the recording tracksrecording has been performed and to show the number of recorded tracksaccording to the result of such detection, the device must have acomplex structure, which then would hinder an effort to make the devicecompact. In another conceivable arrangement, the recording medium may beplaced in a cartridge; a code marking may be attached to a part of thehousing thereof every time recording is performed on a recording track;and then the number of recorded tracks may be indicated by detecting thecode markings. In this case, it is an advantage that the number ofrecording tracks that have been recorded can be indicated when thecartridge is once taken out from the recording device halfway during arecording operation thereon and thereafter again put in the device.However, this method is not completely satisfactory because it stillunnecessarily complicates the structure arrangement and also might causean erroneous action when the device is reloaded with the cartridge.

As mentioned in the foregoing, the picture image recording device of theprior arts still require improvement in various points.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to the solution of the above stated problemsand the subject matter of the invention lies in the provision of animproved picture image recording device which is of the type using arecording medium permitting to set a plurality of recording tracksseparately from each other for recording picture images on each of thesetracks and which is capable of meeting all of the above stated variousrequirements.

More specifically stated, it is a first object of this invention toprovide a picture image recording device for recording still pictureimages which can be operated to record moving objects and is thusadvantageously usable for many purposes.

To attain this object, in accordance with this invention, the pictureimage recording device is operable at least in two different modesincluding a first mode in which recording is performed on only onerecording track and a second mode in which recording is performedcontinuously or sequencially on a plurality of recording tracks, thedevice being arranged to be shiftable between the two modes.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention which will be furtherdescribed hereinafter, the device is arranged to be shiftable betweentwo different speeds in the above stated second mode. In anotherembodiment, the device can be used for video recording at an ordinaryvideo recording speed through a combined use of it with a videorecording device. These arrangements further enhance the functionalcapability of a device of this type.

It is a second object of this invention to provide a picture imagerecording device of the above stated type having an improved featurethat double recording on a recording medium, i.e. recording on arecorded track, can be effectively prevented.

To attain this object of the invention, the picture image recordingdevice is provided with a detecting means which, at the time ofrecording a picture image signal, automatically detects whether or notthe recording track of a recording medium on which the picture imagesignal is going to be recorded has already been recorded.

In this arrangement of the device, the inconvenience of having doublerecording is prevented by giving a warning against double recording andautomatically prohibiting it with an output of the detecting meansutilized therefor. Further, in the case of a preferred embodiment of theinvention which will be described hereinafter, there is provided acontrol means which controls shifting of the track of a recording means(change-over from one recording track to another) in response to theoutput of the detecting means; and the recording track of the recordingmeans is automatically shifted by the control means to a track which hasnot been recorded. This is very advantageous for a device of this type.

It is a third object of this invention to provide a picture imagerecording device equipped with a simple, reliable and inexpensivearrangement to automatically indicate the number of tracks of arecording medium which have been already recorded.

In accordance with this invention, this object is attained in thefollowing manner: The recording device is provided with a switchingmeans which shifts image signal recording means from one recording trackto another and an indication means which indicates the number ofrecorded tracks in response to the shifting of the recording means.

In the preferred embodiments of this invention which will be describedhereinafter, the switching means mechanically shifts the recording meansin relation to the recording tracks while the indication means ismechanically associated with the shifting action of the recording meansto indicate the number of recorded tracks; or the above stated recordingmeans is arranged to be a multi-channel recording means which iselectrically shiftable between many channels while the above statedswitching means is arranged to be an electrical channel switching meansand the number of recorded tracks is indicated by causing the abovestated indication means to electrically respond to the output of theswitching means.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appearmore fully hereinafter from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein embodiments areillustrated by way of example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structural arrangement of anessential part of a camera incorporating a picture image recordingdevice as embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a section view taken on line II--II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view taken on the side indicated by line III--III ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing interrelation between a mode selectiondial and a mode selection slide shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a block circuit diagram showing the basic structuralarrangement of an image pickup-video signal generation-magneticrecording circuitry system which is applicable to the device of theinvention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a CCD image sensor used assolid-state image pickup element in the circuit shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing the arrangement of an electricalcircuitry employed in one embodiment of the invented device. FIG. 7A isa logic circuit diagram showing the logic arrangement of a flip-flopcircuit used in the circuit shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 7B shows aninput-to-output relation of the flip-flop circuit shown in FIG. 7A.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged oblique view showing the details of structuralarrangement of a magnetic head suitable for use in the circuit shown inFIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the structural arrangement of anessential part for indicating the number of recorded tracks suitable forthe circuit shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing an input-to-output relation of acounter and an AND gate used in the circuit shown in FIG. 7 forproducing control signals.

FIG. 11 is a timing chart showing the operation of the essential partsof the circuit shown in FIG. 7 in a mode S (singly image shot) when acartridge that has not been recorded at all is used.

FIG. 12 is a timing chart showing the operation of the essential partsof the circuit shown in FIG. 7 in the mode S when a cartridge that hasbeen partly recorded is used.

FIG. 13 is a timing chart showing the operation of the essential partsof the circuit shown in FIG. 7 in a mode C1 or C2 (continuous orsequential image shot).

FIG. 14 is a circuit diagram showing the arrangement of an essentialpart in a modification example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 15 is a circuit diagram showing the arrangement of an essentialpart in another modification example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 16 is a circuit diagram showing the arrangement of an essentialpart in a further modification example of the embodiment shown in FIG.7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of theinvention are described by way of example as shown below:

The embodiment described here are examples where the present inventionis applied to a handy camera. Referring first to FIGS. 1-3, a referencesymbol CA indicates the camera; TL indicates a picture taking lens; areference numeral 1 indicates a focusing ring; 2 indicates a zoomingoperation rod; 3 indicates a semi-transparent mirror which is providedfor taking out a view finder light and is disposed obliquely within acamera body in the rear of the picture taking lens L; and 4 indicates asemi-transparent mirror provided in the path of a reflection lightcoming from the mirror 3 for the purpose of taking out a photometriclight. A light measuring element 5 is positioned to receive a reflectionlight of the mirror 4. Behind a total reflection mirror, there isarranged a view finder optical system of a known structure. A referencenumeral 7 indicates an eye cup which is provided for the view finder.Behind the above stated mirror 3, there is provided a picture takingdiaphragm which is arranged to permit complete stopping in thisparticular embodiment. A numeral 9 indicates a CCD image sensor employedas solid-state image pickup element. In this embodiment, the imagesensor is a two dimensional image pickup CCD of the known frame transfertype is employed as shown in FIG. 6. Further, as will be describedhereinafter, in front of an image pickup part of the CCD image sensor 9,there are disposed a lenticular lens and a color stripe filter in aknown manner. There is provided a cartridge loading chamber 10 which isarranged to place therein a magnetic recording cartridge 12 containingtherein a magnetic recording disc 11 in a freely rotatable manner. Asshown in FIG. 2, the shaft 12a of the cartridge 12 is arranged torotatably carry the disc 11. In the housing of the cartridge, there areprovided a central opening 12b which is provided for receiving a discdriving spindle 14 of the camera CA and a slot 12c which is arranged toreceive a magnetic head 15 provided on the side of the camera CA. Asshown in FIG. 1, the disc 11 is provided with a center hole 11a at whichthe disc is rotatable carried by the shaft 12a. The disc 11 is furtherprovided with an arcuate slot 11b which is arranged concentrically withthe center hole 11a. With this arrangement, the disc 11 is urged towardthe central opening 12b by a plate spring 13 which is provided withinthe cartridge 12 as shown in FIG. 2. Further, as indicated by a numeral10a in FIG. 2, the rear part of the cartridge loading chamber 10 isrecessed to permit insertion of the cartridge 12 into the cartridgeloading chamber 10 with a lid 16 of the chamber opened in an obliquemanner as indicated by chain lines in FIG. 2. In inserting thecartridge, the cartridge is lodged in place in a normal posture with thespindle 14 inserted into the central opening 12b and the magnetic head15 into the slot 12c respectively.

Then, the tip of the head 15 is in contact with a magnetic recordingpart 11c of the disc 11. The recording part 11c can be set by arrangingthereon a plurality of, say, 40 recording tracks in a state of beingseparated from each other. Each of the recording tracks is arranged topermit recording thereon magnetic signals for one frame of a stillpicture as will be further described hereinafter. The disc 11 itself hasa flexibility to receive the head pressure of the head 15 with theresilience of the disc 11. With the loading chamber lid 16 closed, thecartridge 12 is fixedly and correctly set in place by the plate springs17 and 18 shown in FIG. 12. The disc driving spindle 14 is provided witha driving pin 14a which is engageable with the arcuate slot 11b providedin the disc 11 and the spindle 14 is connected to the shaft 19a of a flywheel 19. The fly wheel shaft 19a is borne by a bearing metal member 20at a boss part 21 of the camera frame to have no rotational chatteringnor thrust chattering. This arrangement is important because the imagerecording performance of the device would be greatly affected by suchchattering of this shaft 19a. There is provided a motor Mo which isarranged to rotate the fly wheel 19. Between an output pulley 22 of themotor Mo and the fly wheel 19, there is provided a rubber belt 23. Witha driving system arranged in this manner, the disc 11 is driven torotate in the direction of an arrow C indicated in FIG. 1. A numeral 25indicates a head carrying member which is arranged to hold the abovestarted head 15 at its bent arm part 25a provided at the fore endthereof. The head carrying member 25 is carried by a supporting rod 24to be slidable along the rod 24, which is attached to a part of thecamera frame along the slot 12c of the cartridge 12. A spring 26 urgesthe head carrying member 25 in the direction of an arrow D indicated inFIG. 2. The head carrying member 25 is provided, at a part thereof, withratchet teeth 25b which are formed to define spacing between themagnetic recording tracks in the recording part 11c of the magneticrecording disc 11. Further, with the head carrying member 25 displacedto an extreme end position thereof in the direction of the arrow Dindicated in FIG. 2 by the spring 26, the magnetic head is arranged tobe in a position corresponding to the outermost peripheral track of therecording part 11c of the disc 11. The number of teeth of the ratchet25b is determined in accordance with the number of tracks set on thedisc 11 and, in this embodiment, the number of the ratchet teeth is 41for the 40 tracks of the disc. Accordingly, the head 15 has a total of41 setting positions. A numeral 27 indicates a ratchet feeding clawwhich is arranged to shift the head carrying member 25 tooth by toothagainst the force of the spring 26 in the direction reverse to thedirection of the arrow D. The ratchet feeding claw 27 is urged in thedirection of engaging with the ratchet teeth 25b by a spring 28 and isalso is linked with a movable armature Am of a plunger P1. When theplunger is energized, the armature Am is arranged to thrust forward byone stroke which shifts the above stated head carrying member 25 exactlyas much as one tooth against the force of a spring 29 in the directionopposite to the arrow D. The head carrying member 25 is arranged to beretained in the shifted position by a lock claw 30, which is pivotallycarried to be freely rotatable on a shaft 31 attached to a part of thecamera frame and is urged by a spring 32 in the direction of engagingthe ratchet teeth 25b. When the loading chamber lid 16 is opened, thehead carrying member 25 is caused by a reset member 33 to automaticallyreturn to an initial position in which the head 15 is facing theoutermost track of the disc 11. The head portion of the reset member 33is formed into a tapered or circular shape into a hook part and thereset member 33 is attached to a part of the chamber lid 16 to have itshook part engage with the tail end 30b of the lock claw 30. Therefore,when the lid 16 is opened, the reset member 33 causes the lock claw 30to rotate counterclockwise as viewed on the drawing against the force ofa spring 32. At that time, the head part 30a of the force end of thelock claw 30 pushes a protrusion 27a of the fore end of the feed claw 27to rotate the feed claw 27 clockwise as viewed on the drawing on a pointat which the feed claw 27 is linked with the armature Am. Thus, both thelock claw and the feed claw are disengaged from the ratchet teeth 25b.By this, the head carrying member 25 is automatically returned into itsinitial position as mentioned in the foregoing. This reset member 33 hassome flexibility and, when the lid 16 is opened to a degree more than agiven angle, the reset member 33 is disengaged from the lock claw 33and, when the lid 16 is closed, the head part of the reset member 33comes to contact and override the tail end 30b of the lock claw 30 tobring the hook part thereof into engagement with the tail end 30b. It istherefore advantageous to have the edge of the tail end 30b of the lockclaw 30 rounded as shown in FIG. 2. Further, although it is not clearlyshown in the drawing, the lock claw 30 is prevented from abutting uponthe fore end face of the feed claw 27 by disposing it a little away fromthe feed claw 27 in the direction perpendicular to the surface of paperon which FIG. 2 is drawn. Meanwhile, the protrusion 27a of the fore endof the feed claw 27 is somewhat extended in the direction perpendicularto the paper surface to have this extended part engageable with the headpart 30a of the lock claw 30.

Further, in FIG. 1 and 3, a numeral 34 indicates a camera trigger buttonwhich is of the so-called two step trigger type; and 35 indicates a grippart which is arranged to contain a power source battery E therein. InFIG. 1, a symbol EU indicates an electrical circuit unit the details ofwhich will be described hereinafter. In FIG. 3, a numeral 36 indicates amode selection dial which is arranged to be shiftable between positionsof indices "S", "C1", "C2" and "MV". The index "S" indicates a singlepicture frame shot; C1 indicates continuous picture frame shots whichare performed, for example, at a rate of picture taking about 6 pictureframes per second; C2 indicates continuous picture frame shotsperformed, for example, at a rate of about 3.3 picture frames persecond; and MV indicates picture taking performed at a rate of 30picture frames per second, which corresponds to motion picture shots ata normal video recording speed. The term "shot" as used herein means apicture taking operation. Further, as will be further describedhereinafter, one picture frame is composed of two field signals. Anumeral 37 indicates a slide which is slidable for selection betweenautomatic shifting and manual shifting of the head 15 in relation to therecording tracks for the single picture frame shot and which is thusshiftable between indices "A" and "M". The index "A" means automaticshifting and the index "M" manual shifting. A numeral 38 indicates apush button which is provided for manual shifting of the head 15 whenthe manual shift mode M has been selected. The push button 33 permitsmanual operation of the plunger P1 through circuit arrangement asdescribed hereinafter. In the mode C1, C2 or MV, it is evidently absurdto manually shift the head 15. Therefore, in this embodiment, the slide37 is inhibited from shifting from "A" to "M" in the mode C1, C2 or MVand is allowed to shift to "M" in the mode S only. When the mode isshifted from "S" to "C1", "C2" or "MV" while the slide 37 is in theposition "M", the slide 37 is automatically reset into the position "A"by a cam 39 which is interlocked with the dial 36. This cam 39 isdisposed to face a follower part 40a of a plate 40 which is arranged forpin-slot engagement and on which the slide 37 is provided. A numeral 41indicates a click stop spring. The mode symbols marked on the cam 39 inparentheses indicate the region of the cam corresponding to each mode.

Again referring to FIG. 3, there is provided a jack 42 for taking out avideo signal (NTSC signal) to the outside. The jack 42 permits toconnect an ordinary VTR device thereto and is usable particularly in themode MV. As mentioned in the foregoing, the number of picture framesrecordable on the disc 11 is limited to 40 or thereabout. If a motionpicture is recorded on the disc 11 at a standard video recording speed,the recording will not last more than one second or thereabout. Thenumber of recording tracks may be increased. However, such increase isevidently limited. It is absurd to record a motion picture on a disc tobegin with. With the jack 42 provided in combination with the mode MV,therefore, motion picture recording can be performed over a long periodof time in combination with an ordinary known VTR (video tape recording)device. This arrangement further broadens the functional capability ofthe camera. There is also provided a jack 43 for remote control. Aremote controller is connected to this jack 43.

The structural arrangement of the essential parts related to thisinvention in the camera CA is as described in the foregoing. The detailsof the circuit arrangement in the above stated electrical circuit untilEU will be understood from the following description:

In FIG. 5 which shows the arrangement of an image pickup--video (NTSC)signal generation--magnetic recording system, a reference numeral 44indicates an oscillator circuit which generates clock pulses of arelatively high frequency of the order of MHz. A numeral 44 indicates asynchronization control circuit which produces various synchronizationcontrol signals required for synchronizing control over the image sensor9 and the circuitry shown here in accordance with the clock pulses fromthe oscillator circuit 44. As shown in FIG. 6 in a modelizing manner,the CCD image sensor 9 comprises an image pickup part (a photo sensitivepart) 9a which is composed of many photo sensor elements arranged in amatrix like manner: a memory part 9b which takes in an electric chargecorresponding to the brightness of each of the picture elementsaccumulated at the image pickup part 9a and which thus stores theelectric charge in a memory cell at an address corresponding to theaddress of each element; and an analog shift register 9c which isprovided for transferring the stored electric charges in a time serialmanner. As well known, with the exception of the image pickup part 9a,all components of the image sensor 9 are shielded from light. Further,in front of the image pickup part 9a, there are arranged a color stripefilter 43 and a lenticular lens 49. The synchronization control circuit45 supplies the CCD image sensor 9 with driving signals Pa including asignal for controlling the accumulation of electric charges at the imagepickup part 9a; clock pulses for transferring the accumulated electriccharges of the image pickup part 9a to the memory part 9b within anextremely short period of time at a predetermined timing, for exampleevery 1/60 sec. (which corresponds to the timing of a verticalsynchronization signal); and clock pulses for time serially producingall of the electric charges taken in the memory part 9b through theshift register 9c within a period of 1/60 second which corresponds tothe time of 1 V-1 vertical scanning period of television (i.e. forread-out of the stored electric charges). Further, although it is notshown in FIG. 6, it goes without saying that the electric charges thatare transferred by the shift register 9c are eventually obtained in astate of having been converted into voltages or currents or the like.Further detailed description is omitted herein as the frame transfertype CCD image sensor of this type has already been well known.

Returning now to FIG. 5, numerals 50 and 51 indicate sample-holdcircuits which sample-hold the output of the CCD image sensor 9. Thesesample-hold circuits are arranged to be controlled by control signals Pb(sampling signals) from the synchronization control circuit 45. Anumeral 52 indicates a video signal (NTSC signal) generating circuitwhich is composed of: A brightness signal producing circuit 53 whichproduces a brightness signal Y in accordance with the output of thesample-hold circuit 50; a color signal producing circuit 54 whichproduces primary color signals R and B in accordance with the output ofthe sample-hold circuit 51; and an encoder 55 which produces a NTSCsignal (a color video signal of NTSC system) based on the signals Y, Rand B received from these circuits 53 and 54. As well known, thesynchronization control circuit 45 supplies synchronization controlsignals Pc and Pd to the color signal producing circuit 54 and theencoder 55. The video signal generating circuit of this type has beenthoroughly known through prior art disclosure such as a Japanese patentapplication laying open publication No. SHO 53-34417. Therefore,illustration of the circuit herein is limited to functional blocks. Anumeral 56 indicates a magnetic recording circuit for recording videosignals. The magnetic recording circuit 56 is composed of a low passfilter 57, a pre-emphasis circuit 58, a frequency modulation circuit 59,a high pass filter 60, a band pass filter 61, a frequency convertercircuit 62, a low pass filter, a mixer circuit 64 and a recordingamplifier 65. The magnetic recording circuit 56 is thus arranged to bealso-called chrominance subcarrier low conversion multiplex recordingsystem. The operation of the circuit of this system is well known anddoes not require detailed description here. Briefly stated, when theNTSC signal, i.e. a combined color video signal, is obtained from theabove stated video signal generating circuit 52, a brightness signal Yand a chrominance subcarrier signal fc of 3.58 MHz are separated fromthe video signal through the low pass filter 57 and the band pass filter61 respectively. The separated brightness signal Y is pre-emphasized bythe pre-emphasis circuit 58 and, after it is frequency modulated by thefrequency modulation circuit 59, the signal Y is supplied to the mixercircuit 64 as frequency modulated brightness signal with a part of itslower-side band wave removed through the high pass filter 60. On theother hand, the chrominance subcarrier signal fc is balance modulated atthe frequency converter circuit 62 by a signal Pe (fn) coming from thesynchronization control circuit 45. Then, through the low pass filter63, a difference signal thereof, i.e. a low conversion chrominancesubcarrier signal f_(s) =f_(n) -f_(c) is taken out and supplied to themixer circuit 64. The mixer circuit 64 then mixes the color signalcarried by this low conversion chrominance subcarrier f_(s) with thefrequency modulated (FM) brightness signal from which a part of itslower-side band wave has been removed to obtain a mixed signal (a VTRsignal). The mixed signal is applied to the head 15 through theamplifier 65 to perform magnetic recording of it on a recording track ofthe disc 11.

Next, referring to FIG. 7, the structural arrangement described in theforegoing will be more fully understood from the following descriptionof a concrete example of the electrical circuit system:

In the first example given here, a combination type magnetic head isemployed as the above stated magnetic head 15. The combination magnetichead is composed of a detection head 15A which is provided solely forthe purpose of detecting whether or not a magnetic recording track ofthe disc 11 on which a picture image signal is going to be recorded(hereinafter will be called "picture recording") has already beenrecorded with a picture and a recording head 15B which is providedsolely for the purpose of recording. When the disc 11 rotates in thedirection of the arrow C shown in FIG. 1, the detection head 15A isarranged to be always positioned ahead of the recording head 15B. Inrecording, when the track has been already recorded, double recording isprevented by this arrangement to ensure correct recording on a trackthat has not been recorded.

In FIG. 7, a reference symbol E indicates the circuit power sourcementioned in the foregoing; and SWE indicate a normally closed type endswitch which is arranged to be opened upon completion of picturerecording on all of the tracks of the disc 11. The switch SWE isconnected in series with the circuit power source E. As for thearrangement required for opening this end switch SWE, the use of thearrangement shown in FIG. 9 or something like that will be advantageous.In the case of FIG. 9, there is provided a track count member 72 whichis arranged to sway in response to the feeding action of the headcarrying member 25 with its tail end pivotally connected to a part ofthe camera frame and with a pin 71 on the head carrying member 25engaged with a slot 72a provided in the middle part of the count member72. A pointer 73 which is attached to the fore end of the count member72 indicates the number of recorded tracks on a track number indicatinggraduation plate 75 which is disposed inside a window 74. Further, whenthe head carrying member 25 is shifted to the left as viewed on thedrawing to an extent as much as the total number of the teeth of theratchet teeth 25b, i.e. when it comes away from the innermost circulartrack of the recording part 11c of the disc 11 and is shifted furtherinward by one tooth, the end switch SWE is opened by a switch openingprotrusion 76 provided on the fore end of the count member 72.

A PNP switching transistor Tr1 has its emitter side connected to the endswitch SWE. A symbol SWR1 indicates a normally open type first steptrigger switch which is arranged to be turned on by the first stepstroke of the above stated trigger button 34 and which is connected tothe base of the transistor Tr1. A symbol SW1 indicates a change-overswitch which is shiftable between fixed terminals S, C1, C2 and MV inresponse to the above stated mode selection dial 36. The movable contactpiece of the switch SW1 is connected to the collector side of thetransistor Tr1. The fixed terminals S, C1 and C2 are connected incommon. A symbol PUC indicates a power up clear circuit which produces asingle pulse (a power up clear signal) when the power source is turnedon; DFC indicates a differentiation circuit which produces a negativesingle pulse when its terminal a is connected to the minus side of thepower source E; SW2 indicates a change-over switch which is shiftedbetween fixed terminals S, C1, C2 and MV in response to the modeselection dial 36, the terminals S and MV being neutral terminals, theterminals C1 and C2 being connected to the output terminal b of theabove stated differentiation circuit DFC and the movable contact piecethereof being connected to the terminal a of the differentiation circuitDFC; and FF4 indicates a SR-flip-flop which receives the output of thepower up clear circuit PUC at its reset input terminal R and receives,at its set input terminal S, the output of an inverter IV1 which isprovided for producing the output of a Schmidt circuit SMC (will bedescribed hereinafter) by inverted logic. The Q output of theSR-flip-flop is arranged to be supplied to the base of an NPN switchingtransistor Tr4 the collector side of which is connected to the movablecontact piece of the above stated change-over switch SW2. A symbol SWR2indicates a second step trigger switch which is arranged to be turned onby the second step stroke of the above stated trigger button and isconnected to the emitter of the transistor Tr4; and FF1 indicates aSR-flip-flop which is arranged to receive, at its set input terminal S,the output of the inverter IV2 provided for producing the output of theabove stated differentiation circuit DFC by inverted logic and isarranged to receive, at its reset terminal F, the output of an OR gateOG1 which obtains a logical sum of the output of the above stated powerup clear circuit PUC and the output of the Schmidt circuit SMC whichwill be described hereinafter, the SR-flip-flop FF1 thus being arrangedto maintain power supply. The Q output terminal of the flip-flop isconnected to the base of the above stated transistor Tr1. When thesecond step trigger switch SWR2 is turned on under a condition in whichthe output of the OR gate OG1 is low and the Q output of the flip-flopFF4 is high (i.e. a condition in which the transistor Tr4 is renderedconductive with the second step trigger switch SWR2 turned on), theflip-flop FF1 is set by a high level output of the inverter IV2 and theQ output of the flip-flop FF1 becomes low. Then, since the Q outputterminal is connected to the base of the transistor Tr1, the transistorTr1 is held conductive by the depression of the trigger button 34 to thesecond step stroke and does not become nonconductive when the triggerbutton 34 is instantly released from depression. The transistor Tr1 isreleased from this state of being held conductive when the detectionhead 15A detects a recorded track as will be described hereinafter.Therefore, at this time, if the first step trigger switch SWR1 is off,the transistor Tr1 becomes nonconductive to cut off power supply to thecircuit system.

There is provided a SR-flip-flop FF2 for recording control. The setinput terminals of the flip-flop FF2 receives the output of an OR gateOG2 which obtains a logical sum of the output of the above stated powerup clear circuit PUC and the output of the Schmidt circuit SMC while thereset input terminal R of the flip-flop FF2 is arranged to receive theoutput of an AND gate AG1 which obtains a logical product of the outputof a delay circuit DLC which will be described hereinafter and the Qoutput of a flip-flop FF3 which will also be described hereinafter. Asymbol CNT1 indicates a 4-bit binary counter of a pulse fallsynchronization type. The counter CNT1 counts the output pulses (FIG.10, (b)) of an inverter IV3 which produces, by inverted logic, thepulses Pf (FIG. 10, (a)) at a timing (1/60 sec.) corresponding to thevertical synchronization signal from the synchronization control circuit45 shown in FIG. 5. With this counting performed, the output terminalsA, B, C and D of the counter CNT1 respectively produce pulse signals asrepresented at (c), (d), (e) and (f) in FIG. 10. A symbol AG5 indicatesan AND gate which obtains a logical product of the outputs B and C ofthe above stated counter CNT1. The output of the AND gate AG5 is asrepresented by (g) in FIG. 10. Another AND gate AG6 is arranged toobtain a logical product of the outputs B, C and D of the counter CNT1.The output of the AND gate AG6 is as represented by (h) in FIG. 10.Therefore, assuming that the period of the output pulse Pf of the abovestated synchronization control circuit 45 represented by (a) in FIG. 10is 1/60 sec., the period of the output A of the counter CNT1 is 1/30sec., that of the output B of the counter is 1/15, that of the output Cof the counter is 1/7.5 and that of the output D of the counter is1/3.75. Then, since the time, at a high level, of each of the output Bof the counter CNT1 and outputs of the AND gates AG5 and AG6 is 1/30sec., these outputs are usable as recording control signal in the modesS, C1 and C2 respectively. The output B of the counter CNT1 and theoutputs of the AND gates AG5 and AG6 are arranged to be selectable inthe modes S, C1 and C2 by the change-over switch SW3 which is responsiveto the mode selection dial 36. Although the period of the output of theAND gate AG5 which is selected in the mode C1 is 1/7.5 sec. and theperiod of the output of the AND gate AG6 which is selected in the modeC5 is 1/3.75 sec., these periods are arranged in the circuit of thisembodiment to be about 6 picture images/sec. in the mode C1 and about3.3 picture images/sec. in the mode C2 for effecting continuous shots.

Further, each of the output B of the counter CNT1 and outputs of the ANDgates AG5 and AG6 selected by the switch SW3 is supplied to the outputstage (i.e. the amplifier circuit 65 shown in FIG. 5) of the imagepickup--video signal generation--magnetic recording system circuit 69which is arranged as shown in FIG. 5 and also to the recording controlanalog switch ASW which is provided between the recording head 15B andthe circuit 69 to perform recording control thereby. The clear terminalCLR of the above stated counter CNT1 is arranged to receive the Q outputof the above stated flip-flop FF2. Accordingly, when the Q output of thecounter CNT1 is high, the counter CNT1 is kept in a state of beingcleared. The counter CNT1 thus counts the output pulses of the inverterIV3 only when the Q output of the flip-flop FF2 is low.

A symbol La2 indicates a display lamp which is caused to light up by thePNP switching transistor Tr2 arranged to receive the Q output of theflip-flop FF2 at its base. In other words, the display lamp La2 iscaused to light up to indicate that recording is being performed whenthe counter CNT1 is performing a counting operation with the Q output ofthe flip-flop FF2 being low. A symbol AP indicates an amplifier whichamplifies the output of the above stated detection head 15A; C indicatesa DC cut capacitor; HIC indicates a rectifying integration circuit HICwhich rectifies and integrates an AC signal component, i.e. a videosignal component in the output of the amplifier AP; and SMC indicates aSchmidt circuit which is responsive to the output of the rectifyingintegration circuit HIC. The output of the Schmidt circuit becomes highwhen the track on which recording is going to be performed has beenalready recorded and become low when the track has not been recorded.The output of the Schmidt circuit SMC is supplied to the AND gate AG3and the OR gates OG1, OG2 and OG3 and, through the inverter IV1, issupplied by inverted logic also to the AND gate AG2 and the set inputterminal S of the flip-flop FF4. A symbol CNT2 indicates a 2-bit binarycounter of a pulse fall synchronization type which receives and countsthe output pulses from the above stated inverter IV3. The higher bitoutput, i.e. the output B, of the counter CNT2 is arranged to be usedfor driving the above stated plunger P1 and is supplied to the otherinput terminal of the above stated AND gate AG3. The output of the ANDgate AG3 is supplied to the base of the NPN switching transistor Tr3.The output B of the counter CNT2 has a high level duration period of1/30 sec. in the same manner as the output B of the other counter CNT1.Therefore, with a minimum energization period required for driving theplunger P1 arranged to be 15 to 20 msec. or thereabout, the output B ofthe counter CNT2 gives a sufficient pulse for driving the plunger P1.Further, the time constant of the above stated integration circuit HICis set at a sufficient value of time, say, 30 msec. or thereabout fordriving the plunger P1. There is provided a display lamp La3 whichlights up when the track going to be recorded has been already recordedin the mode S-M, i.e. in the mode of single picture image shot withmanual shifting of the head. In the mode M, the display lamp La3 isconnected to the collector of the transistor Tr3 by the switch SWM1which is responsive to the above stated slide 37. In the mode A, theswitch SWM1 connects the plunger P1 to the collector of the transistorTr3. A symbol SWP indicates a push switch which is turned on by theabove stated push button 33; and SWM2 indicates a switch which, in themode M, connects the switch SWP to the plunger P1 in response to theabove stated slide 37.

A motor control circuit MCC is provided for constant speed control ofthe motor Mo. In this embodiment, the rotation speed of the motor Mo iscontrolled by the control circuit MCC to have the disc 11 rotate at aspeed of 1,800 r.p.m. so that signals for one frame, i.e. for twofields, are recorded on a track by every rotation of the disc 11. Adelay circuit DLC is provided for having a delay time corresponding to aperiod of time (50-100 msec.) required for building up of the speed ofthe motor Mo. The output of the delay circuit is supplied to the ANDgate AG1. A symbol FF3 indicates a SR-flip-flop. The set input terminalS of the flip-flop FF3 receives the output of the AND gate AG2 whichobtains a logical product of the Q output of the flip-flop FF1 and theoutput of the inverter IV1. The reset input terminal R of the flip-flopFF3 receives the output of the OR gate OG3 which obtains a logical sumof the output of the above stated power up clear circuit PUC and theoutput of the Schmidt circuit SMC. The Q output of the flip-flop FF3 issupplied to the AND gate AG1. A symbol PMC indicates a light measuringcircuit which determines a correct diaphragm aperture value based on theoutput of a light measuring element 5 and electric charge accumulationtime (i.e. integrated time of picture element signals) obtained at theimage pickup part 9a of the image sensor 9. The light measuring circuitPMC is arranged to receive power supply together with the above statedcircuit 69 through the diode D3 or D4 irrespective of the mode selectionof the mode selection dial 36, i.e. irrespective as to which of the modeterminals is in connection with the switch SW1. In this embodiment, theelectric charge accumulation time is defined solely by the timing of theread-out starting pulse (start pulse) included in the sensor drivingsignal Pa which is produced by the synchronization control circuit 45.According to the example described in the foregoing, for example, theelectric charge accumulation time is fixed to 1/60 sec. or thereabout.In this case, therefore, fixed information on this time is given to thelight measuring circuit PMC. Incidentally, this time corresponds to filmexposure time in an ordinary camera that uses a silver salt film.Accordingly, the same structural arrangement as a known light measuringcircuit of a film camera is usable as this light measuring circuit PMC.A reference numeral 66 indicates a diaphragm driving means such as ameter or motor which adjusts a diaphragm 8 to a correct aperture valuein response to the output of the light measuring circuit PMC. The outputshaft of the diaphragm driving means is connected to the diaphragm 8.The diaphragm 8 is arranged to permit so-called complete stopping forthe purpose of preventing so-called "sticking" of the CCD image sensor9. As for arrangement required for such complete stopping, in the caseof using a meter as diaphragm driving means 66, a spring may be arrangedto act on the moving coil thereof such that the diaphragm 3 is kept in acompletely stopped state when the coil is not energized. Where a motoris employed as the driving means 66, a condensing means such as acapacitor may be connected to the motor to completely stop the diaphragm8 by forcedly driving it with the holding power of this condensing meansimparted when the output from the light measuring circuit is cut off. Anumeral 67 indicates a graduation member for indicating aperture values.The member 67 is arranged to be driven together with the diaphragm 8 bythe above stated diaphragm driving means 66 and is prepared, forexample, by marking graduations of aperture values on a transparent filmor the like. The member 67 is disposed within a view finder of thecamera and is arranged to show an adjusted value of aperture of thediaphragm by coincidence of a graduation mark with a fixed index 68. Asymbol La1 indicates a lamp which is provided for illuminating the abovestated graduation member 67 from behind it and is connected to thediodes D3 and D4. The lamp La1 is arranged to receive power supply tolight up with the transistor Tr1 energized irrespective of the modeselected by the mode selection dial. Therefore, in addition to itsfunction of illuminating the graduation member 67, the lamp La1functions also to indicate that the trigger button 34 is depressed tothe first step thereof.

In the arrangement described in the foregoing, the circuit 69, the lightmeasuring circuit PMC and the lamp La1 are arranged to receive powersupply with the transistor Tr1 rendered conductive energizedirrespective of the mode position in which the mode selection dial 36 isset. On the other hand, with the exception of them, other circuits arearranged to receive power supply, with the transistor Tr1 renderedconductive, only when the mode selection dial 36 is in the modeposition, S, C1, or C2. Further, each of the SR-flip-flop circuitsFF1-FF4, which are used in the circuit shown in FIG. 7, has a logicarrangement made by a combination of two NOR gates NOG1 and NOG2 asshown in FIG. 7A. The input-to-output relation of the flip-flop circuitis as shown in FIG. 7B.

A jack which is provided for supplying the NTSC signal to the outside isconnected to the circuit 69 and, more specifically stated, to the outputstage of the video signal generation circuit 52 shown in FIG. 5. Aremote jack 43 is connected through diodes D1 and D2 in parallel withthe switches SWR1 and SWR2.

The camera which has the structural arrangement as described in theforegoing operates-in the following manner: As mentioned in theforegoing, the camera permits selection of any of the five operationmodes including the mode S-A (single picture image shot-automatic headshifting), the mode S-M (single picture image shot-manual headshifting), the mode C1 (continuous shots at a rate of 7.5 pictureimages/second), the mode C2 (3.75 picture image/sec. continuous shots)and the mode MV (motion picture shots at a VTR speed using a 7TRdevice). To facilitate understanding, the mode S-A is first describedwith reference to the timing chart of FIG. 11 as follows: Let us assumethat the camera CA is loaded with a recording disc 11 with none of therecording tracks thereof having been recorded. The head 15 is set in itsinitial position as mentioned in the foregoing. The end switch SWE istherefore on. Under this condition, when the dial 36 is set in the modeposition S, the switch SW1 is turned on; the switch SW2 comes to be inan open state while the switch SW3 comes to be connected to the outputterminal B of the counter CNT1. Then, when the slide 37 is set in theposition of the mode A, the switch SWM1 is connected to the side of theplunger P1 while the switch SWM2 comes to be in an open state and thecamera CA is set in the mode S-A. Under this condition, the operatordirects the camera CA toward a desired object while peeping into theview finder and, when he depresses the trigger button 34 to the firststroke, the first step trigger switch SWR1 is turned on to render thetransistor Tr1 conductive thereby. Accordingly, the light measuringcircuit PMC comes to work and the diaphragm 8 is adjusted from itscompletely stopped state to a correct aperture value. Meanwhile, thelamp La1 lights up to illuminate the graduation plate 67 and the motorMo starts to cause the disc 11 to rotate. This is shown in FIG. 11(a),(b), (d), (e) and (f). Further, when the transistor Tr1 is renderedconductive, the power up clear circuit PUC produces pulses as shown inFIG. 11(g) to reset thereby the flip-flop circuits FF1, FF3 and FF4 andset the flip-flop FF2. Then, the Q output of the flip-flop FF1 and the Qoutput of the flip-flop FF2 become high as shown in FIG. 11(k) and (l).On the other hand, with the transistor Tr1 rendered conductive, thecircuit 69 receives power supply and begins to drive the CCD imagesensor 9, which then begins the image pickup--video signalgeneration--VTR signal producing operation. At this time, thesynchronization control circuit 45 produces pulses Pf of timing whichcorresponds to the vertical synchronization signal as represented byFIG. 11(o). The pulses Pf are applied to the counters CNT1 and CNT2through the inverter IV3. However, since the Q output of the flip-flopFF2 at this time is high, the counter CNT1 is in a cleared state, i.e.kept in a state of being incapable of counting. Thus, the pulses are notcounted by the counter CNT1. Accordingly, the output B of the counterCNT1 is low as shown in FIG. 11(p). The analog switch ASW is, therefore,remains off. On the other hand, the counter CNT2 then begins to countthe output pulses from the inverter IV3. Further, with the transistorTr1 rendered conductive when a period of time anticipated to correspondto time required for the motor Mo before it comes to build up to anormal speed has elapsed, the output of the delay circuit DLC becomeshigh as shown in FIG. 11(h) and, accordingly, one input to the AND gateAG1 then becomes high.

At this time, in the output of the detection head 15A, there appears noAC signal component because the disc 11 has not been recorded at all.Therefore, the output level of the integration circuit HIC is below apredetermined level and, accordingly, the output of the Schmidt circuitSMC is low as shown in FIG. 11(g). Therefore, the plunger P1 is notenergized. The heads 15A and 15B are in their initial positions wherethey are in contact with the outermost track of the recording part 11cof the disc 11. Further, since the output of the inverter IV1 becomeshigh at this point of time, tone input to the AND gate AG2 becomes high.The flip-flop FF4 is set and the Q output of it becomes high.

Under this condition, when the trigger button 34 is depressed to thesecond step (FIG. 11(a)), the second trigger switch SWR2 is turned on,as shown in FIG. 11(c), to render the transistor Tr4 conductive. Thiscauses the differentiation circuit DFC to produce a negative pulse asshown in FIG. 11(h). Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 11(i), the inverterIV2 comes to produce high pulses. By this, the flip-flop FF1 is set and,as shown in FIG. 11(j), the Q output of the flip-flop FF1 becomes high.The output of the AND gate AG2 thus becomes high at this point of timeto set the flip-flop FF3 and the Q output of the flip-flop FF3 becomeshigh as shown in FIG. 11(m). This causes both of the two inputs to theAND gate AG1 to become high thus to make the output thereof high at thispoint of time. Accordingly, the flip-flop FF2 is reset and the Q outputof it is inverted to become low. The counter CNT1 is then released fromits cleared state and begins to count input pulses.

Further, when the flip-flop FF1 is set by the high pulse from theinverter IV2, the Q output of the flip-flop FF1 becomes low as shown inFIG. 11(k). Since this causes the transistor Tr1 to be kept in aconductive state, the circuit system continues its operation becausepower supply thereto is not cut off even if the trigger button 34 isreleased from its state of being depressed at this point of time.

When the counter CNT1 begins to count input pulses under this conditionand when the B output of it becomes high as shown in FIG. 11(p), theanalog switch ASW is turned on thereby and the output of the amplifiercircuit 65 shown in FIG. 5 is supplied to the recording head 15B tocause it to perform magnetic recording of signals for one frame of thepicture image of an object on the outermost track of the disc 11. The Boutput of the counter CNT1 arranged in this embodiment is obtained byfrequency dividing by two the pulses Pf of timing corresponding to thevertical synchronization signal (FIG. 10(a)) from the synchronizationcontrol circuit 45 as has already been described with reference to FIG.10. The high level period of time of the B output of the counter CNT1 istwo periods of the pulses Pf, i.e. 1/30 sec. Meanwhile, in the circuitsystem shown in FIG. 5, the output of the image sensor is read out, andaccordingly the field signal is produced, continuously twice in arepeated manner within this length of time 1/30 sec. Therefore, a signalof 2 fields=1 frame is magnetically recorded on the track of the disc11. As already mentioned, therefore, the motor control circuit MCC isarranged to control the rotating speed of the motor Mo in such a way asto have the disc 11 rotated at the rate of 1,800 r.p.m.

When 1/30 second has elapsed after the B output of the counter CNT1became high as shown in FIG. 11(p), the B output again becomes low toturn off the analog switch ASW. During this period, a signal for oneframe is magnetically recorded on the track of the disc 11 in the 2fields-1 frame manner. Since the detection head 15A is disposed ahead ofthe recording head 15A as mentioned in the foregoing, when recording of1 frame has been completed, the magnetic signal recorded by therecording head 15B is picked up by the detection head 15A. Accordingly,in the output of the detection head 15A, there appears an AC signalcomponent, i.e. a video signal component, and this causes the outputlevel of the integration circuit HIC to become higher than apredetermined level. This in turn makes the output of the Schmidtcircuit SMC high as shown in FIG. 11(g). Then, the flip-flop FF3 isreset thereby and the Q output of the flip-flop FF3 becomes low as shownin FIG. 11(m). Accordingly, the reset input R of the flip-flop FF2becomes low and the flip-flop FF2 is set by the high level output of theSchmidt circuit SMC. The Q output of the flip-flop FF2 then becomes highas shown in FIG. 11(l). The counter CNT1 is cleared by this and becomesincapable of counting. The B output of the counter CNT1 thus becomes asshown in FIG. 11(p) and is low after completion of recording.Accordingly, the analog switch ASW is turned off. With the output of theSchmidt circuit SMC having become high, the B output of the counter CNT2is applied to the base of the transistor Tr3 through the AND gate AG3 asshown in FIG. 11(s). The transistor Tr3 is rendered conductive therebyto energize the plunger P1. Accordingly, the head carrying member 25 ismoved forward by the feed claw 27 as much as one tooth of the ratchetteeth 25b. The heads 15A and 15B are shifted by this to a second track.Since the second track has not been recorded in this case, the AC signalcomponent disappears from the output of the detection head 15A as theshifting of the heads 15A and 15B is effected to the second track. Aftera predetermined period of time, therefore, the output level of theintegration circuit becomes lower than the predetermined level and,accordingly, the output of the Schmidt circuit SMC then becomes low asshown in FIG. 11(g).

When the output of the Schmidt circuit SMC becomes high, the flip-flopFF1 is reset and the Q output of it becomes low as shown in FIG. 11(j).Since the flip-flop FF1 will not be set thereafter as long as a highpulse is not produced from the inverter IV2, the flip-flop FF3 is notset thereafter. Accordingly, the operation of the camera CA is stoppedor suspended in a state of having completed the shifting of the heads15A and 15B to the next non-recorded track. Under this condition, if thedepression of the trigger button 34 is eased back to its first stroke toopen only the second step trigger switch SWR2 and if, after that, thetrigger button 34 is again depressed to the second step stroke to turnon the second step trigger switch SWR2, the differentiation circuit DFCagain comes to produce negative pulses. Then, the flip-flop FF1 is againset by the high pulse coming from the inverter IV2 to allow recording onthe non-recorded track. Upon completion of recording on thisnon-recorded track, the heads 15A and 15B are shifted further to anothernon-recorded track and the camera is again stopped or suspended in thiscondition.

When the operation of the camera CA is stopped or suspended by theresetting of the flip-flop FF1, the Q output of the flip-flop FF1 hasbeen high. Therefore, at this point of time, the transistor Tr1 isreleased from its state being kept conductive. If the trigger button 34has been released from the state of being depressed and if the triggerswitches SWR1 and SWR2 thus have been turned off at this point of time,the transistor Tr1 becomes non-conductive to cut off power supply to thewhole circuit system. The timing for releasing the trigger button 34from depression is arranged as follows: As indicated by A in FIG. 11(a),if the switch SWR2 has once been turned on by depression of the button34 to the second step stroke, the transistor Tr1 is caused to beretained in a state of being conductive by the action of the flip-flopFF1 as mentioned in the foregoing. The camera, therefore, automaticallyperforms the operation described in the foregoing and the heads 15A and15B come to a stop upon completion of shifting to the second recordingtrack. On the other hand, as indicated by B also in FIG. 11(a), if thetrigger button 34 is depressed only to the first step stroke and thenreleased without going to the second step stroke, the conductivityholding arrangement is not applied to the transistor Tr1. Therefore, thecamera is instantaneously stopped when the trigger button is releasedfrom the depression made in this manner.

Further, while the Q output of the flip-flop FF2 is low, i.e. duringrecording, the lamp La2 is caused to light up with the transistor Tr2rendered conductive to indicate that recording is in process. It isadvantageous to have this lamp La2 positioned to permit observation ofit within the view finder.

In this mode S-A, upon completion of recording for one frame, the heads15A and 15B are either stopped or suspended in a state having beenautomatically shifted to the next recording track. After that, theoperation described in the foregoing is repeated to record picture imagesignals for one frame on each of recording tracks one after anotherevery time the trigger button 34 is depressed to the second step stroke.

Then, the number of recording tracks that have been recorded in thismanner is indicated on the track number indicating graduation plate 75by the pointer 73 which is attached to the fore end of the countingmember 72 which is shown in FIG. 9. Upon completion of recording on theinnermost track of the disc 11, when the heads 15A and 15B areautomatically shifted, the protrusion 76 provided on the fore end of thecounting member 72 comes to open the end switch SWE and power supply tothe whole circuit system is cut off.

The foregoing description has covered a recording operation on arecording disc 11 which has not been recorded at all. In cases where thecamera is loaded with a cartridge containing a disc that has some of itsrecording tracks already recorded, the camera operates in the followingmanner: Assuming that the first track of the disc 11 has already beenrecorded, the flip-flop circuits FF1, FF3 and FF4 are reset and theflip-flop circuit FF2 is set by the pulse produced from the power upclear circuit PUC when the first step trigger switch SWR1 is turned on.The output level of the integration circuit HIC becomes higher than apredetermined level when the motor starts. Therefore, as shown in FIG.12(m), the output of the Schmidt circuit SMC becomes high. Accordingly,as will be understood from FIG. 7B, the Q outputs of the flip-flopcircuits FF1 and FF3 remain low as shown in FIG. 12(e) and (h), becauseat least their reset inputs R remain high. Therefore, the flip-flop FF2is not reset and the Q output of the flip-flop FF2 remains high as shownin FIG. 12(g). Thus, there obtains a condition of inhibiting recording.Further, since the output of the inverter IV1 becomes low when theoutput of the Schmidt circuit SMC is high, the flip-flop FF4 is not setand its Q output remains low as shown in FIG. 12(i). Therefore, even ifthe second step trigger switch SWR2 is turned on by further depressionof the trigger button 34 at this point of time, the transistor Tr4 isnot rendered conductive thereby. Therefore, the differentiation circuitDFC does not produce a negative pulse. On the other hand, when theoutput of the Schmidt circuit SMC becomes high, the B output of thecounter CNT2 is applied to the base of the transistor Tr3 through theAND gate AG3 as shown in FIG. 12(o). Accordingly, when the transistorTr3 is rendered conductive, the plunger P1 is energized to shift theheads 15A and 15B to the next track. If the next track has not beenrecorded before, the output level of the integration circuit HIC becomeslower than the predetermined level. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 12(m),the output of the Schmidt circuit SMC becomes low after a predeterminedperiod of time to make the output of the inverter IV1 high. By this, theflip-flop FF4 is set and the Q output of it becomes high as shown inFIG. 12(i). Therefore, if at this point of time the second step triggerswitch has been turned on, the transistor Tr4 becomes conductive tocause the differentiation circuit DFC to produce a negative pulse asshown in FIG. 12(c). Then, the high pulse from the inverter IV2 (FIG.12(d)) comes to set the flip-flop FF1 and the Q output of the flip-flopFF1 becomes high as shown in FIG. 12(e). The flip-flop FF3 is set bythis and the Q output thereof becomes high as shown in FIG. 12(h).Accordingly, when the output of the delay circuit DLC becomes high (FIG.12(j)), the flip-flop FF2 is reset and its Q output becomes low as shownin FIG. 12(g). Then, as mentioned in the foregoing, signals for oneframe are recorded on the new recording track. If this new track hasalready been recorded, the output of the Schmidt circuit SMC remainshigh as shown by a broken line in FIG. 12(m). Therefore, with therecording inhibiting condition being kept unchanged as shown by brokenlines in FIG. 12(c)-(i), (l), and (o), the heads 15A and 15B are furthershifted to the next track. After that, when the output of the Schmidtcircuit SMC becomes low as shown by a broken line in FIG. 12(m), i.e.when these heads arrive at a non-recorded track, the above mentionedactions are performed, as shown by broken lines in FIG. 12(c)-(i) and(l), to have signals for one frame recorded on this non-recorded track.

In cases where a cartridge having some of its tracks already recorded isused, therefore, double recording on the recorded tracks is inhibitedand the heads 15A and 15B are arranged to be automatically shiftedwithout performing recording on the recorded tracks until a non-recordedtrack is detected. Upon completion of recording on the non-recordedtrack, the heads are shifted to a next non-recorded track. Aftercompletion of shifting, the camera CA is either stopped or suspended.

The operation in the mode S-A has been described in the foregoing,operation in the next mode S-M, i.e. single picture image shot--manualhead shifting mode, will be understood from the following description:When the slide 37 is shifted to the position M, the switch SWM1 isshifted thereby from the side of the plunger P1 to the side of the lampLa3 while the push switch SWP is connected to the plunger P1 through theswitch SWM2. Therefore, even when a track which is facing the heads 15Aand 15B is detected to be a recorded track, the heads 15A and 15B arenot automatically shifted to a next track. Instead of that, the lamp La3flickers in response to the output of the AND gate AG3, or the B outputof the counter CNT2, to give a warning that the track facing these heads15A and 15B has already been recorded. See FIG. 12(p). In this case, thepush button 38 is depressed to turn on the switch SWP for shifting theheads 15A and 15B to a next track.

In this mode S-M, if the track facing the heads 15A and 15B has not beenrecorded, recording can be performed by operating the trigger button inthe same manner as described in the foregoing. Upon completion ofrecording on this track, however, the heads 15A and 15B are not shiftedto a next track while the lamp La3 just flickers even when the output ofthe Schmidt circuit SMC becomes high--see broken lines in FIG. 11(g) and(s) and FIG. 11(t). The heads 15A and 15B are shifted, in this case, byturning on the push switch SWP. On the other hand, if the track facingthe heads 15A and 15B has already been recorded, the lamp La3 flickersas shown in FIG. 12(p). The heads 15A and 15B, therefore, can be shiftedto a next track by turning on the switch SWP. Then, if this track hasnot been recorded, recording can be performed thereon. If this track hasbeen recorded, the lamp La3 continues to flicker to give a furtherwarning. In this manner, the warning by the lamp La3 is repeated untilthe heads 15A and 15B arrive at a non-recorded track; and, with the pushbutton 38 thus being repeatedly depressed, recording is performed on anon-recorded track when the heads 15A and 15B come to the non-recordedtrack.

The details of the functions of the above stated flip-flop FF4 and thetransistor Tr4 are as follows: If the flip-flop FF4 and the transistorTr4 are not provided in the circuit system shown in FIG. 7, in caseswhere the trigger button 34 is rapidly depressed to the second stepstroke to almost concurrently turn on the trigger switches SWR1 and SWR2when a recording track facing the heads 15A and 15B is detected alreadyrecorded in the above stated mode S-A and some subsequent tracks arealso found recorded, or when, in the mode S-M, a track facing the heads15A and 15B is detected already recorded, even if the turning on of thetrigger switch SWR2 causes the differentiation circuit DFC to producethe negative pulse and thus to have a high pulse produced from theinverter IV2, the output of the Schmidt circuit SMC might have notbecome high. Then, as will be understood from FIG. 7B, the flip-flop FF1would not be set at least the Q output thereof would remain low. In sucha case, even if the heads 15A and 15B are brought to a non-recordedtrack by automatic shifting in the mode S-A or by operating the pushbutton 38 in the mode S-M, the output of the Schmidt circuit SMC is lowat this point of time while the flip-flop FF1 is still not set and its Qoutput also remains low. Therefore, the camera CA is either stopped orsuspended in a state of having the heads 15A and 15B brought to thenon-recorded track, so that recording cannot be performed on thenon-recorded track. On the other hand, with the flip-flop FF4 and thetransistor Tr4 provided, the flip-flop FF4 is set only when the outputof the inverter IV1 is high, i.e. when the output of the Schmidt circuitSMC is low indicating that a track facing the heads 15A and 15B has notbeen recorded. Therefore, as will be understood from FIG. 12(a), (c),(i) and (m), the transistor Tr4 does not become conductive as long asthe output of the Schmidt circuit is high, that is as long as the heads15A and 15B are facing a recorded track, even if the switch SWR2 hasbeen turned on. Therefore, the differentiation circuit DFC does notproduce the negative pulse. Then, when the heads 15A and 15B come toface a non-recorded track and when the output of the Schmidt circuitthus become low, the flip-flop FF4 is set to make the transistor Tr4conductive. Then, the differentiation circuit DFC comes to produce thenegative pulse and the flip-flop FF1 is set thereby. With thisarrangement, therefore, the above stated trouble of inoperativeness canbe effectively avoided.

Operation in the mode of continuous picture image shots will beunderstood from the following description: For continuous picture imageshots, the selection dial 36 is shifted to the mode C1 or C2. Thiscauses each of the switches SW1-SW3 to shift to the terminal C1 or C2.Further, in this case, even if the slide 37 is in the mode position M,the cam 39 which is responsive to the mode selection dial 36 shifts theslide 37 to the mode position A. Accordingly, each of the switches SWM1and SWM2 comes to be connected to the terminal A. Then, with the switchSW2 connected to the terminal C1 or C2, the differentiation circuit DFCis caused to short-circuit between its terminals a and b. Once theflip-flop FF4 is set, therefore, the output of the differentiationcircuit DFC remains low as long as the second step trigger switch SWR2is on. The set input S of the flip-flop FF1, therefore, is high as longas the switch SWR2 is on and, as will be understood from FIG. 7B, the Qoutput of the flip-flop FF1 is high as long as its reset input R is low.Further, the Q output of the flip-flop FF1 is low as long as its setinput S is high. Therefore, while the trigger button 34 is beingdepressed to the second step stroke, picture image recording is notinhibited and recording shots are performed continuously as long as theheads 15A and 15B are facing a non-recorded track. Further, if arecorded track is detected during the recording operation, the output ofthe Schmidt circuit SMC becomes high upon detection of it. The flip-flopFF2 is set by this and the counter CNT1 is cleared (i.e. recording isinhibited). At the same time, the plunger is energized to carry outautomatic shifting of the heads 15A and 15B to a next track. In thisinstance, when the output of the Schmidt circuit SMC becomes high, boththe set input S and the reset input R of the flip-flop FF1 become high.Therefore, as will be understood from FIG. 7B, the Q output of theflip-flop FF1 becomes low while, on the other hand, the flip-flop FF3 isreset. This condition remains unchanged as long as the heads 15A and 15Bare facing a recorded track. When the heads 15A and 15B arrive at anon-recorded track, the output of the Schmidt circuit SMC becomes low tomake the Q output of the flip-flop FF1 high. Accordingly, the flip-flopFF3 is set and the Q output thereof becomes high. This in turn resetsthe flip-flop FF2 to remove the recording inhibition and to permitresumption of recording. This action is continuously performed as longas the trigger button 34 is in a state of being depressed to the secondstep stroke. Further, the holding of continuity of the transistor Tr1 iseffected in the same manner as described in the foregoing. The switchSW3 selects the output of the AND gate AG5 in the mode C1 and selectsthat of the AND gate AG6 in the case of the mode C2. A continuous shotoperation is performed at a rate of about 6 picture images/sec. in thecase of the mode C1 and about 3.3 picture images/sec. in the mode C2.

FIG. 13 shows the operation of the circuit system in the mode C1 or C2.In this drawing, the mode C1 is shown by full lines and the mode C2 bybroken lines.

The camera CA is provided with an external output jack 42. With anordinary VTR device connected to this jack and by setting the modeselection dial 36 set in the mode position MV, a motion picture shotoperation in the 2 fields-1 frame manner can be carried out at a rate of30 frames/sec. With the dial 36 set in the mode position MV, each of theswitches SW1-SW3 is shifted to a terminal MV thereof. When the triggerbutton 34 is depressed at least to the first step stroke to just turn onthe switch SWR1, the circuit 69 and the light measuring circuit PMC areactuated. A combined color video signal of NTSC system is then producedout of the jack 42 to be recorded on a magnetic tape in the VTR device.

Further, the actions of the camera CA described in the foregoing can bestarted by operating a remote controller connected to the remote controljack 43 instead of by operating the trigger button. In this case, sincethe circuit shown in FIG. 7 is provided with a safety circuit consistingof the flip-flop FF4 and the transistor Tr4 as mentioned in theforegoing, the remote controller is required to have just a singleswitch.

Referring now to FIG. 14, one example of modification of the abovementioned embodiment of the invention is described as shown below:

In this modification example, a single magnetic head is used for thecombined purposes of detecting non-recorded or recorded track andperforming a recording operation. The operation mode of the device isshiftable as desired by utilizing the output of the above stated counterCNT1 in the same manner as the control system shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 14shows only the parts that are different from the arrangement shown inFIG. 7. Other parts that are omitted from the illustration are arrangedin exactly the same manner as in FIG. 7. Description given here is,therefore, limited to the parts differing from the arrangement shown inFIG. 7.

In FIG. 14, a reference numeral 15' indicates a magnetic head which isemployed for the combined purposes of detecting and recording. The head15' is connected to the above stated analog switch ASW and to an analogswitch ASW' is connected to the DC cut capacitor C provided in the inputstage of the above stated non-recorded or recorded track detectioncircuit (i.e. the amplifier AP, the integration circuit HIC and theSchmidt circuit SMC). The analog switch ASW' is arranged to receive fromthe inverter IV4 an inverted output of the signal to be supplied to theabove stated analog switch ASW. In this arrangement, when the recordingcontrol signal (i.e. the B output of the counter CNT1 or the output ofthe AND gate AG5 or AG6) which is selected by the switch SW3 is low, theanalog switch ASW' is turned on to use the head 15' for the purpose ofdetecting a non-recorded or recorded track. Then, if a non-recordedtrack is detected by this and the recording control signal from theswitch SW3 becomes high to permit recording, the analog switch ASW isturned on to use the head 15' for the purpose of recording on thenon-recorded track. Other details of operation are exactly the same asin the case of the circuit shown in FIG. 7 and are omitted fromdescription here.

In the embodiments described in the foregoing, the head is arranged tobe mechanically shifted relative to the tracks of the disc 11. Inaddition to these embodiments, other embodiments are shown in FIG. 15and FIG. 16. In each of the embodiment, the magnetic head is arranged tobe a multi-channel head having a number of channels corresponding to thenumber of tracks of the disc 11 and is fixedly disposed to perform thefunction of discerning a recorded or non-recorded track and the functionof recording on a non-recorded track by shifting it from one channel toanother. FIGS. 15 and 16 show only the essential parts required forcarrying out the above stated functions and, unless specifically statedotherwise, other parts that are not shown in these drawings are exactlythe same as the arrangement shown in FIG. 7.

Referring first to FIG. 15 which corresponds to FIG. 7, a referencesymbol CNT3 indicate a binary counter of a pulse fall synchronizationtype incorporating a decoder, or a counter-decoder, which is providedfor channel shifting. The clear terminal CLR of the counter CNT3 isarranged to receive the output of the power up clear circuit PUC. Asymbol IV5 indicates an inverter arranged for obtaining an invertedsignal of the output of the power up clear circuit PUC; OC indicates aone shot circuit which is arranged to be triggered by building up of theoutput of the inverter IV5; and OG4 indicates an OR gate which isprovided for obtaining a logical sum of the output of the one shotcircuit OC and the output of an inverter IV7 the input terminal of whichis connected to a resistor R provided in place of the above statedplunger P1. The output of the OR gate OG4 is arranged to be supplied tothe clock input terminal CK of the counter CNT3 as count up clock.Reference numerals 15A1-15An indicate non-recorded-or recorded-trackdetecting heads which are fixedly arranged to correspond to the tracksprovided on the disc 11; and 15B1-15Bn indicate recording heads whichare also fixedly arranged to correspond to these tracks. These headsconstitute a so-called multi-channel head. In the same manner as in thecase of the head 15 shown in FIG. 8, the detection heads 15A1-15An arepositioned ahead of the recording heads 15B1-15Bn in relation to therotation of the disc 11. In this particular embodiment, the number ofheads "n" means 40 and these heads are unified into one body. SymbolsASW'1-ASW'n indicate analog switches respectively connected to the heads15A1-15An and are connected to the input stage of the above statednon-recorded-or recorded-track detection circuit, i.e. to a DC cutcapacitor on the input side of the amplifier AP. Symbols ASW1-ASWnindicate analog switches connected to the heads 15B1-15Bn and also tothe output stage of the image pickup-video signal generating-magneticrecording circuit 69. Symbols AND1-ANDn indicate AND gates which arearranged to obtain logical products of the recording control signalselected by the above stated switch SW3, i.e. the B output of thecounter CNT1 or the output of AND gate AG5 or AG6 and the decoded output1-n of the above stated counter CNT3. The outputs of these AND gatesAND1-ANDn are supplied to the analog gates ASW1-ASWn. Further, thedecoded outputs 1-n of the counter CNT3 are supplied to the analogswitches ASW'1-ASW'n respectively.

The arrangement described above operates as follows: With the triggerbutton 34 depressed to the first step stroke, the power up clear circuitPUC produces pulses as shown in FIG. 11(g). Then, this causes all of thedecoded outputs 1-n of the counter CNT3 to become low. Following this,when the one shot circuit OC is triggered by building up of the outputof the inverter IV5 and when the one shot pulse of the one shot circuitOC is produced, this causes the counter CNT3 counts up by one and firstthe decoded output 1 thereof becomes high. The analog switch ASW'1 isturned on and the output of the detection head 15A1 is applied to theamplifier AP through the capacitor C. Then, if the first track facingthe heads 15A1 and 15B1 has not been recorded, the flip-flop FF1 isreset with flip-flop FF3 set as mentioned in the foregoing, and therecording head 15B1 performs recording on the first track. Afterrecording, when the completion of the recording on this track isdetected by the detection head 15A1, a high pulse output of the AND gateAG3 renders the transistor Tr3 momentarily conductive. Therefore, incases where the switches SWM1 and SWM2 have been shifted to the mode A(i.e. in the case of the mode S-A, C1 or C2), this causes the inverterIV7 to produce a high pulse output. Then, building-up of this outputpulse of the inverter IV7 causes the counter CNT3 to count up by one tomake the decoded output 2 thereof high. Then, the analog switch ASW'2 isturned on this time. The detection head 15A2 detects whether the secondtrack is not recorded. In the mode C1 or C2, if the second track is notrecorded, the recording head 15B2 performs recording on the second trackwhen the recording control signal from the switch SW3 becomes high inthe same manner as described in the foregoing. Conversely, if the secondtrack is found already recorded, a high pulse output of the AND gate AG3renders the transistor Tr3 momentarily conductive. Then, building-up ofthe inverter IV7 causes the counter CNT3 to count up by one and thedecoded output 3 of the counter becomes high. Accordingly, the abovementioned detection is performed on a third track. Thus, in the case ofthe mode C1 or C2, recording on non-recorded tracks is repeated as longas the trigger button 34 is kept in a state of being depressed in thesame manner as in the preceding embodiment.

In the mode S-A, after completion of recording on a non-recorded track,the pulse-fall of the output pulse of the inverter IV7 causes thecounter CNP3 to count up by one; under this condition, the camera iseither stopped or suspended; after the trigger button 34 is releasedfrom depression, when it is depressed again, detection is performed byshifting from one to another the detection heads 15A1-15An starting withthe head 15A1 until a non-recorded track is detected thereby; and, upondetection of a non-recorded track, recording is performed thereon by arecording head that corresponds to this track. Further, in the mode S-M,the channel shifting of the heads 15A1-15An and 15B1-15Bn is carried outby operating the push switch SWP in the same manner as in the embodimentshown in FIG. 7. In other words, the input to the inverter IV7 becomeslow with the switch SWP turned on. Therefore, by the building-up of theoutput of the inverter IV7, the counter CNT3 is caused to count up bythe one to permit the channel shifting of the heads.

In the modification example which is shown in FIG. 16 and whichcorresponds to the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, a multi-channel head iscomposed of heads 15'1-15'n each of which is arranged to serve combinedpurposes of detecting and recording, unlike the heads 15A1-15An and15B1-15Bn which are used in the arrangement shown in FIG. 15. Each ofthese heads 15'1-15'n is connected to analog switches ASW'1 and ASW1,ASW'2 and ASW2---, or ASW'n and ASWn. There are arranged AND gatesAND'1-AND'n to obtain logical products of the recording control signalwhich is selected by the switch SW3 (i.e. the B output of the counterCNT1 or the output of AG5 or AG6) and is obtained as inverted signalthrough an inverter IV6 and the decoded outputs 1-n of the counter CNT3.The outputs of these AND gates AND'1-AND'n are arranged to be suppliedto the analog switches ASW'1-ASW'n as applicable respectively.

The device arranged as shown in FIG. 16 operates in a manner which willbe readily understood from the foregoing description of the arrangementshown in FIGS. 14 and 15. Therefore, the operation of the device isomitted here.

According to the arrangements shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the mechanicalarrangement for shifting the head as shown in FIG. 2 is no longerrequired. With these arrangements employed, it will be disadvantageousto have the "A"-to-"M" change-over arrangement including the slide 37,push button 38 and the switches SWM1, SW2 and SWP. In these modificationexamples, the above stated lamp La3 may be connected to the collector ofthe transistor Tr3 to display the count up action of the counter CNT3,i.e. the channel shifting status of the heads 15A1-15An and 15B1-15Bn.As for displaying the number of recorded tracks in the modificationexamples shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the display may be arranged, forexample, in the following manner: The device is provided with a displayunit DU consisting of a decoder driver and a display seven segment LED.The outputs 1-n of the counter CNT3 are supplied to the decoder disposedwithin the display unit DU to make digital display. It is also possibleto use a LED dot array display unit consisting of n number of lightemitting diodes (LED). In such a case, it will be convenient to have thedisplay made within the view finder.

In the modification example shown in FIGS. 15 or 16, the end switch SWEand control for the switch SWE are arranged, for example, as follows: Aso-called latching relay switch LRS is employed as shown in the drawingas end switch SWE. The latching relay switch is arranged to have itsmovable contact piece shifted from a terminal b to a terminal a when itscoil CLa is energized. The connection to the terminal a is retained, forexample by a holding force of a permanent magnet even when power supplyto the coil CLa is cut off. Then, when the power is supplied again tothe coil, the movable contact piece MC shifts from the terminal a to theterminal b and again is kept in contact with the terminal b by theholding force of the permanent magnet. One end of the coil CLa isconnected to the collector of a NPN switching transistor Tr5 which isarranged to receive the decoded output n+1 of the above stated counterCNT3 and the one end of the coil CLb is connected to one of the contactpieces of a normally open type switch SW4 which is arranged to be turnedon, for example, by opening the lid 16 of the cartridge loading chamber.The movable contact piece MC and the other end of each of the coils CLaand CLb are connected to the plus side of the power source E while theterminal b is connected to the emitter of the transistor Tr1. Theemitter of the transistor Tr5 and the other contact piece of the switchSW4 are connected to the minus side of the power source E. Witharrangement made in this manner, when the loading chamber lid 16 isopened for loading the camera CA with a cartridge 12, the switch SW4 isturned on to energize the coil CLb. The movable contact piece MC thenconnects with the terminal b. Then, with the first step trigger switchSWR1 turned on by depression of the trigger button, the transistor Tr1is made conductive to allow power supply to the circuit system. Aftercompletion of recording on all tracks of the disc 11, when the decodedoutput n+1 of the counter CNT3 becomes high, the transistor Tr5 is madeconductive thereby and the coil CLa is energized to shift the movablecontact piece MC from the terminal b to the terminal a. Therefore, powersupply to the circuit system is cut off at this point of time even ifthe first step trigger switch SWR1 is on. When the loading chamber lid16 is opened to take out the recorded cartridge, the switch SW4 isturned on to energize the coil CLb. Again the movable contact piece MCis shifted from the terminal a to the terminal b and is kept there untilthe coil CLa is energized through the transistor Tr5.

As described in the foregoing, in accordance with this invention, arelatively simple logical arrangement not only permits single pictureimage recording but also permits continuous recording on a plurality oftracks. It must be emphasized that the invention makes it possible tocarry out analytical photographic recording for moving objects, so thatunique, interesting picture images can be enjoyed by reproducing suchrecords. The functional improvement attained in accordance with thisinvention makes the recording device usable for a wide range ofpurposes.

Further, as also shown in the embodiment examples given herein, thecontinuous recording can be performed at different selectable speeds.This arrangement gives a further advantageous effect. Further, with theinvented device used in combination with an ordinary VTR device, it ispossible to accomplish recording of a moving object at a VTR speedwithout being confined to recording on a recording medium having alimited number of recording tracks.

In accordance with the arrangement made in the embodiment examples, astate of having been already recorded or not recorded of the track onwhich recording is going to be performed can be accurately detected.This is a highly advantageous feature for a device of this type whichmust meet the rational requirements mentioned in the beginning of thisspecification. With a very simple logical arrangement, the device of theinvention is capable of performing advantageous functions, such asinhibiting double recording, giving a warning against it, automaticshifting of recording means to a non-recorded track and the like.

The arrangement to display the number of recorded tracks as shown in theembodiment examples is very simple. The display arrangement, therefore,can be easily incorporated in the device, is less likely to come out oforder and can be added at low cost, so that it gives a great advantageto the picture image recording device. Further, as also shown in theembodiment examples, the power source of the recording device isarranged to be automatically cut off upon completion of recording on allrecording tracks. This is highly rational arrangement for a device ofthis type.

In the embodiment examples given, the image pickup--video signalgeneration--magnetic recording system circuitry to be used in accordancewith this invention is arranged to use a CCD image sensor as imagepickup element. However, it goes without saying that, in place of theCCD image sensor, conventionally known image pickup tubes, such as avidicon, etc. are also usable as image pickup element. Further, amagnetic disc is used as recording medium in the embodiment examples.However, the invention is not limited to this. Use of other recordingmedia, such as a magnetic drum is also usable with minor modification ofthe structural arrangement of the device.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information signal recording apparatuscomprising:(A) a chamber for accommodating therein a recording mediumwhich is disc-shaped; (B) openable cover means for closing said chamber;(C) recording head means for recording information signals on saidrecording medium, said head means having a predetermined reset positionwhich is an outer position of said medium and being movable along arecording surface of the medium to change the recording position on therecording surface of the medium; (D) moving means for moving said headmeans along the recording surface of the medium to change the recordingposition of the head means on the recording surface of the medium; (E)detection means for producing a characteristic signal when said headmeans is aligned with a portion on which no information signal isrecorded on the recording surface of the medium; (F) control means forcausing said moving means to move said head means until said detectionmeans produces said characteristic signal; (G) inhibit means forinhibiting signal recording by said head means until said detectionmeans produces said characteristic signal; (H) reset means for resettingsaid head means to said predetermined reset position along the recordingsurface of said recording medium; and (I) enabling means for enablingsaid reset means in response to operation of said cover means.
 2. Anapparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means is arrangedto generate said characteristic signal when a level of a signalreproduced from said recording surface is higher than a predeterminedlevel.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reset meansincludes a ratchet mechanism.
 4. An apparatus according to claim 3,wherein said enabling means is arranged to set said ratchet mechanism toits initial position in response to operation of said cover means.
 5. Animage recording apparatus, comprising:(A) recording or reproducing meansfor recording or reproducing an image signal at a recording orreproducing position on a recording medium, said recording orreproducing position of said recording or reproducing means beingchangeable along a surface of said recording medium; (B) drive means forrotating said recording or reproducing means and said recording mediumrelatively to each other; (C) loading and unloading means for loadingand unloading said recording medium to and from the apparatus; (D) resetmeans for resetting the recording or reproducing position of saidrecording or reproducing means to an initial position for preparation ofrecording on said recording medium in a direction along a surface ofsaid recording medium, in association with the loading and unloadingoperation of said loading and unloading means; (E) detecting means fordetecting presence or absence of record at said recording or reproducingposition within a predetermined range on said recording medium from areproduced output of said recording or reproducing means at the time ofdriving of said drive means; (F) automatic setting means forsequentially shifting the recording or reproducing position of saidrecording or reproducing means from said initial position to a pluralityof previously set recording positions within said predetermined range onthe basis of an output of said detecting means and for automaticallysetting said recording or reproducing position at a presumed recordingposition where the absence of the record has been detected; and (G)control means for stopping at least the operation of said drive meanswhen the presence of the record has been detected at the respectivepresumed recording positions within said predetermined range.
 6. Anapparatus according to claim 5, wherein said detecting means is arrangedto effect detecting operation by discriminating the output of saidrecording or reproducing means.
 7. An apparatus according to claim 6,wherein said detecting means is arranged to effect detecting operationby discriminating the output of said recording or reproducing means. 8.An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said reset means includes aratchet mechanism.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein saidcontrol means is arranged to stop the operation of said drive means byinterrupting an electrical power supply for said apparatus.
 10. Anapparatus according to claim 5, and further comprising image pick-upmeans for picking up an image and for generating said image signal. 11.An image recording apparatus, comprising:(A) a recording or reproducinghead for recording or reproducing an image signal on a recording mediumat a recording or reproducing position on the medium, said recording orreproducing position of said recording or reproducing head beingchangeable; (B) drive means for driving said recording medium relativeto said recording or reproducing head; (C) detecting means for detectingpresence or absence of record at said recording or reproducing positionwithin a predetermined range on said recording medium from a reproducedoutput of said recording or reproducing head at the time of operation ofsaid drive means; (D) a recording circuit for feeding an image signal tosaid recording or reproducing head in an image recording mode; (E) meansfor connecting said recording or reproducing head to said recordingcircuit in said recording mode; and (F) control means for controllingsaid connecting means on the basis of an output of said detecting meansgenerated by said recording or reproducing head at the time of imagerecording, for inhibiting the image recording effected by said recordingor reproducing head, irrespective of said recording mode, when thepresence of record has been detected and for preventing the operation ofsaid drive means, without discharging said recording medium from theapparatus, when the presence of record within each presumed recordingposition within said predetermined range has been detected.
 12. Anapparatus according to claim 11, wherein said recording medium is adisc-shaped medium.
 13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein saiddetecting means is arranged to effect detecting operation bydiscriminating the output of said recording or reproducing head.
 14. Anapparatus according to claim 11, wherein said control means is arrangedto prevent the operation of said drive means by interrupting anelectrical power supply for said apparatus.
 15. An apparatus accordingto claim 11, wherein said connecting means comprises a recording gate.16. An apparatus according to claim 11, and further comprising imagepick-up means for picking up an image and for generating said imagesignal.
 17. An image recording apparatus, comprising:recording orreproducing means for recording or reproducing an image signal in whicha recording or reproducing position of said recording or reproducingmeans relative to a recording medium is changeable; drive means fordriving said recording medium relative to said reproducing means;detecting means for detecting presence or absence of record at saidrecording or reproducing position within a predetermined range on saidrecording medium from a reproduced output of said recording orreproducing means at the time of driving of said drive means; automaticsetting means for sequentially shifting the recording or reproducingposition of said recording or reproducing means from said initialposition to a plurality of previously set recording positions withinsaid predetermined range on the basis of an output of said detectingmeans and for automatically setting said recording or reproducingposition at a presumed recording position where the absence of therecord has been detected; and control means for stopping at least theoperation of said drive means when the presence of the record has beendetected at the respective presumed recording positions within saidpredetermined range.
 18. An apparatus according to claim 17, whereinsaid recording medium is a disc-shaped medium.
 19. An apparatusaccording to claim 17, wherein said control means is arranged to stopthe operation of said drive means by interrupting an electrical powersupply for said apparatus.
 20. An apparatus according to claim 17, andfurther comprising image pick-up means for picking up an image and forgenerating said image signal.
 21. An image recording apparatus,comprising:recording or reproducing means for recording or reproducingan image signal in which a recording or reproducing position of saidrecording or reproducing means relative to a recording medium ischangeable; drive means for rotating said recording medium relative tosaid recording or reproducing means; detecting means for detectingpresence or absence of record at said recording or reproducing positionwithin a predetermined range on said recording medium from a reproducedoutput of said recording or reproducing head at the time of operation ofsaid drive means; and control means for controlling said recording orreproducing means on the basis of an output of said detecting means forinhibiting the image recording affected by said recording or reproducingmeans, irrespective of said recording mode, when the presence of recordhas been detected and for preventing the operation of said drive means,without discharging said recording medium from the apparatus, when thepresence of record within each presumed recording position within saidpredetermined range has been detected.
 22. An apparatus according toclaim 21, wherein said recording medium is disc-shaped medium.
 23. Anapparatus according to claim 21, wherein said detecting means isarranged to effect detecting operation by discriminating the output ofsaid recording or reproducing means.
 24. An apparatus according to claim21, wherein said control means is arranged to prevent the operation ofsaid drive means by interrupting an electrical power supply for saidapparatus.
 25. An apparatus according to claim 21, and furthercomprising image pick-up means for picking up an image and forgenerating said image signal.